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Cañon City Council adopts $33.7M budget

2017 budget includes funds for more capital improvements

By Carie Canterbury

The Daily Record

Posted:
11/21/2016 08:07:52 PM MST

Mayor Preston Troutman, the Cañon City Council and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Hyams recognize Michael Slusher for having volunteered his time and efforts in watering flowers on Main Street during the spring and summer months. He maintained the flowers every day, sometimes twice a day, for five months. Pictured are, in the back row, Dennis Wied, Troutman, Jim Meisner, Mark Gill and Ashley Smith; pictured in the front row are Slusher and Hyams. (Carie Canterbury / Daily Record)

Cañon City Sales Tax Collections

January

2014 - $528,000

2015 - $559,000

2016 - $570,000

February

2014 - $412,000

2015 - $426,000

2016 - $485,000

March

2014 - $423,000

2015 - $476,000

2016 - $470,000

April

2014 - $459,000

2015 - $488,000

2016 - $512,000

May

2014 - $475,000

2015 - $526,000

2016 - $511,000

June

2014 - $493,000

2015 - $517,000

2016 - $550,000

July

2014 - $501,000

2015 - $560,000

2016 - $572,000

August

2014 - $511,000

2015 - $558,000

2016 - $603,000

September

2014 - $521,000

2015 - $536,000

2016 - $568,000

October

2014 - $477,000

2015 - $521,000

2016 - $539,000

November

2014 - $477,000

2015 - $527,000

December

2014 - $457,000

2015 - $485,000

— Information provided by Finance Director Harry Patel

Cañon City residents will start to see more capital improvements beginning in 2017.

The Cañon City Council during its regular meeting Monday approved a resolution adopting the 2017 budget. City Administrator Tony O'Rourke said the budget is balanced, prudent and responsive to expectations articulated in the recent citizen survey.

The $33.7 million budget is a 36 percent increase over 2016.

Eighty-three percent of the $8.9 million increase is directly related to capital improvements, including projects along the river corridor and at Centennial Park. About 6.9 percent relates to eight new staff positions including parks, code enforcement and issues directly requested in the survey.

"The citizen survey made the budget process fairly easy because we certainly focused on what the public wants us to focus on," O'Rourke said. "Simply, that was public safety, we made significant investments on technology and training, and road and stormwater."

However, the city next year will focus on a potential rate study to generate capital necessary to invest in $55 million in delayed stormwater improvements.

Centennial Park could see about $1 million in improvements, including a splash pad, new restrooms and playground equipment.

Councilman Jim Meisner said it's important to remember that the increases are not due to any tax increases, but rather using reserves that are relative to the survey.

"This money, as it gets put into place, we're going to see real results and bring our police department up-to-date," he said. "I think the budget is prudent, but I also recognize that there is a lot of money in there, but we're not talking about any tax increase."

Councilwoman Ashley Smith said this is a one-time investment into the community, and although investments into infrastructure have been lacking, so have investments in other areas.

She said she's heard concerns from within the community about the new staff positions. One position replaces former City Attorney John Havens, who passed away earlier this month, and two full-time parks positions will replace four seasonal positions. Changing water billing to monthly fees, rather than quarterly, will require an additional position, as well, she said.

"As we invest into our parks, Centennial Park in particular, the citizen survey said that 91 percent of our citizens use our parks," she said. "This is an investment where 91 percent of our citizens will benefit from this, as well as our tourists and special events, to put our best foot forward for them.

"And I am excited to see 2A (a 1 percent street tax increase) passed so we can move forward as a community and improve where we live in general instead of being hampered and handicapped."

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